So, Shall We Get Married?
Chapter 28

-And she hit me, dad, that woman you hired to take care of us, she hit me in the face, in front of everyone. You don’t know what a humiliation she put me through.

Caleb listened to his daughter stunned, he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Olivia was capable of hitting her daughter, there was no excuse for her to do so. Just because her daughter talked back to her for not wanting to eat breakfast that morning didn’t mean she would hit her.

It was unheard of, and in truth, he was very disappointed in Olivia. He thought she was a better person, a strong woman, but not to go to that extent.

-Surely, when you ask her version of events, she’ll blame it all on me. But it’s not true dad, yes, I yelled at her because I didn’t want to have breakfast with her. But she didn’t have to hit me.

The CEO swallows his saliva… and to think that that day he had booked the afternoon to spend with his daughters, in the evening he had a very important event he had to attend, and he was thinking of taking his daughters to it.

Now with all that commotion, his head was bursting… Caleb was picking the bridge of his nose, thinking about what the hell to do, it was clear that he couldn’t continue with Olivia as a nanny for his daughters, but there was also the part about hearing the chestnut’s side of the story. Although it was wrong for her to distrust Talia, but given her daughter’s background, it was better to be sure.

-Listen to me, daughter, I’m going to talk to Olivia so that she can…

-NO, you can’t do this to me,” she screams with tears in her eyes, Caleb watches her and feels bad for making her feel upset. You can’t believe her and not me, me being your daughter.

-I’m not saying I believe her, but I need to talk to her about what happened.

-Are you going to fire her? -She didn’t seem to cry from one moment to the next.

-I don’t know about that.

-What? -At that moment, Caleb stands up. You have to fire her at once, you can’t let her hit your daughter and then just stand there like nothing happened. Do you want her to hit Alma?

-I’ll see what I can do.

Caleb answers his daughter, and leaves the room. As he closes the door, he stands for a moment recapping what happened. He looks up and notices the bodyguard.

-Where is the nanny?

-In her room, with Miss Alma.

-Talia is not to leave this room,” he orders.

He walked to the chestnut’s bedroom, and without even knocking, he opened it. Both her daughter and she were startled by his presence, Alma was playing with her computer while Olivia looked up from a book she was reading.

-Mr. Palmer,” she says, closing the book.

-Alma, go to your room, and don’t come out of there.

-Yes, Daddy.

Once the two of them were alone, the brunette stands up. She looked very apologetic, and no wonder. Caleb had no idea where to start, he just looked at her.

-I’m so sorry! -I didn’t mean to hit your daughter.

-So you’re confessing? You hit my daughter! -Caleb spoke in a loud tone, which startled the brunette. You were able to hit my daughter in front of everyone, how could you?

-I didn’t mean to, I really didn’t mean to. It’s just that she was…

-I don’t think it’s fair that you hit her just because she didn’t want to eat breakfast. That was wrong of you, very wrong, I know my daughter is difficult, but it’s not that bad.

Olivia remained silent, it was logical that Talia would give her a different version of what happened that morning. But in the end, who was she to say anything, just the same, Caleb wasn’t going to believe a word she said. It was best if she kept quiet about what really happened.

-I understand if you want to fire me, if you want me to pay you back what you paid me, it’ll take me some time to do it, since I’ve spent some of it and….

-You will finish your work these remaining days, and that will be payment enough. Neither you owe me, nor I you. I will undo the contract, and hope never to see you again.

-That’s all right.

Caleb held out hope that she would tell him the slap wasn’t true, that his daughter was making it all up, but the reality was different. Olivia hit his daughter for a mere trifle.

She glances at her one last time, then turns back to the door… but before she opens it, she stops.

-Tonight I have an important event I can’t miss. I’m taking the girls with me, so please ask the hotel to send you a suitable dress for tonight and charge it to my account.

-But…

-You have to go, you’re my daughters’ nanny. And don’t worry, my bodyguard won’t take his eyes off you.

After those words, the CEO left the room. Olivia looked at the door, and felt terrible. She knew it was going to happen, but at least she thought he’d let her tell her side of the story, and she couldn’t even get that.

Caleb didn’t trust her, well, it made sense, the one he would believe was his daughter and not some petty babysitter. It hurt her that he didn’t take her word for it, but she couldn’t suffer for it either, they didn’t have any kind of relationship except that of boss and employee.

Still, Olivia felt terrible, because she knew she’d let this man down….

-Hell, and now I have to go to this party. Like I like rubbing elbows with millionaires.

Really, his fury was rising. So much so, that he was forced to go down to the bar for a drink. Caleb was still surprised at Olivia’s attitude, she didn’t seem like the type of woman who would hit on anyone, but apparently he was quite wrong.

He downs the contents of his drink in one gulp, and allows the liquid to run down his throat.

Why her, he wonders as he asks for another. Maybe he was confusing things, he shouldn’t have seen her with other eyes, he shouldn’t have thought of her as anything other than just another employee. That was his big mistake, but it wasn’t going to happen any more. It was always the same with women, they all ended up disappointing him.

Just as it happened with the mother of his daughters, she was the worst disappointment that could have happened in his life. Just remembering her made his b***d boil with rage. Caleb clutches the cup in his hand, that woman was the worst of all. He could still clearly remember the day she walked out of his and his daughters’ lives, abandoning them just like that.

She didn’t care about leaving her life behind, as if they were worthless. What kind of woman abandons her daughters so young? How could she be able to leave without at least saying goodbye to them? This woman’s heart was so cold, she was not interested in anything but her own benefit.

She was selfish…

Caleb tilts his head towards the glass, he was aware that he was a little guilty about his wife’s change. She was always working, and he hardly ever had time for her or the girls. But it had taken him so long to build his empire, to take over Atlantis and its franchises.

The CEO denies, then takes a drink. What he wasn’t seeing was that he was losing his family, or well, his wife. He couldn’t stand being alone for long nights, he couldn’t blame her for that, but he did blame her for giving up his daughters. They were not to blame for his mistakes, and now those girls were paying for their father’s mistake.

His ex-wife disappeared completely, and no matter how hard he tried to get in touch with her to sort things out, he couldn’t do it. A year after she left, he received an envelope with divorce papers. In it he gave up everything, even his daughters. At that moment, Caleb’s rage consumed him and he signed those papers without a tremor in his heart.

He didn’t hear from her again for nine years, and neither did his daughters. And although the girls did not speak of their mother, he was aware that they were waiting for her. Especially Talia, who was the oldest. Alma was only a tiny baby of months when she was left motherless.

-Can I get you another drink, Mr. Palmer? -The bar tender interrupted his thoughts.

-No, that’s enough,” he says, setting the empty glass on the bar.

He needed to have a clear mind for that night, he would be meeting important people, and out of that; his daughters and Olivia were going to be present.

He mentioned her name in his mind, because what he had done was getting on his nerves. Now she wouldn’t work for him anymore, she only had that night left to work for him. Since the next day, they would return home and she would no longer be his daughters’ nanny.

The night came quickly, and the awkward event was at the door. Olivia, admiring her appearance in the mirror in her room, was so embarrassed to have to wear that dress that was paid for by her boss, and after what had happened with her daughter, her desire to go to that party was nil.

In the end, she took a deep breath, decided to take control of the situation and finish her work… suddenly a light knock on the door made her startle, she smoothed the skirt of her dress and walked to the door.

As soon as she opened the door, her bodyguard was standing in front of her. Seeing her wearing that dress, he widened his eyes exaggeratedly. Olivia thought something was wrong with the outfit.

-Something wrong?

-No,” she answered seriously. Mr. Palmer is waiting for you in the lift. He asked me to tell you to hurry.

-Oh, yes, I’m ready.

Olivia leaves the room, and walks to the metal apparatus, the train of her dress was a little long, but light and manageable. She didn’t want that dress, but the dressmaker knew perfectly well the event she was going to attend, so she recommended her to wear that dress.

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When she reached the lift, the brunette stopped at the door and immediately met Caleb’s gaze, who looked her over from the bottom to the top. That inspection; she found it embarrassing, she assumed he was checking to see if she was properly dressed for the party.